By Peter Atsiaya
Bungoma County
Political rivalry among veteran politicians in Western will be renewed in contest for various seats in the March 4 General Election.
Bungoma County promises a fierce fight as minister and former Cabinet members set their eyes on the Senate.Trade minister Moses Wetangula, former ministers Mukhisa Kituyi, and Musikari Kombo will lock horns in the race for Senate.
Mr Wetangula will be running on a Ford Kenya ticket and is also the point man of CORD presidential candidate and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Dr Kituyi is the UDF candidate for the seat, while Mr Kombo, former Ford-Kenya national chairman, is running on a New Ford-Kenya ticket.
UDF and New Ford-K are affiliated to Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi-led Amani alliance, thereby making the rivalry between Kituyi and Kombo tougher.
Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa is not be running for any elective seat, but his influence in the county will be a determining factor in the battle for various elective positions.
Eugene is fronting Kombo, his close ally, a move that would complicate matters for Kituyi as the minister’s choice of Kombo gives him an upper hand.The Raila and Mudavadi factor will also play out in the campaigns with the DPM having an edge over his boss in popularity in the region.
Wetangula, Kombo, Eugene and Kituyi were at one time together in Ford-Kenya before they parted ways after disagreeing during the party’s national elections.
“I am not worried about my rivals in the race,” said Wetangula.
He added: “I have battled them before and defeated them and I will do the same during the elections.”
Upper Hand
The minister said Kituyi and Kombo had fallen out with residents who voted them out in the last General Election and their efforts to make a political come back will hit a dead end.
But Kombo and Kituyi are confident of winning the seat.
The duo downplayed their rivalry in Amani alliance, saying it was not a big issue since they represent different political parties under the organisation.
“New Ford-Kenya is a party of choice in the county and this gives me an upper hand against my rivals,” said Mr Kombo.
Kituyi said the race was a battle like any other and it should not raise eyebrows.
In Busia County, the senator’s seat has attracted heavyweights in former Attorney General Amos Wako and former Cabinet Minister Chris Okemo.
In Kakamega, the senator’s seat has seen former political allies and former MPs Dr Bonny Khalwale and Cyrus Jirongo locking horns.
